NBA stars under the most pressure to perform in playoffs

It's often said that the true legends step up their game when it matters the most. So, with the NBA playoffs here, the teams able to advance will often rely on their top players to take their game to another level. 

But even though fans expect their team's star player to be at his best in the postseason, that's not always the case. Some players will also face more pressure to perform than others, either due to their past failures, the makeup and dynamics of their team, or the immense expectations within the city and from the fan base. 

These are the players under the most pressure this postseason: 

James Harden

Acquired by the Cleveland Cavaliers in a midseason trade, Harden, a basketball mercenary in the eyes of many fans and pundits, put up right around his career averages of 23.6 points and 8.0 assists from his time with the Los Angeles Clippers and Cavaliers. 

However, Harden, who has only reached the NBA Finals once in his career from his early days coming off the bench, has been criticized for a decline in production in the playoffs, especially in Game 7s. 

A 43.9% shooter in the regular season, Harden is at 42.5% in the playoffs. He also only averaged 18.7 points per game in seven playoff games with the Clippers last year. 

Karl-Anthony Towns 

There's no team under more pressure than the New York Knicks. After firing Tom Thibodeau on the heels of the franchise's deepest run through the playoffs in 25 years, it's NBA Finals or bust for New York. 

And with that being the case, Towns is the player with the most to prove. As his teammate and co-star, Jalen Brunson has already built a playoff resume that rivals legendary names, but Towns has often been accused of being inconsistent under the bright lights. 

Towns did record a higher points per game average in the 2025 postseason than in the prior two years with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he still endured highs and lows throughout the Knicks' run through the Eastern Conference. His 2025-26 numbers also dipped from averaging 24.4 to 20.1 in the regular season. 

Anthony Edwards

Look no further than Towns' former team and former teammate for another NBA mega-star with the weight of a franchise on his shoulders. 

Edwards carries himself like someone who believes he's destined to be a champion. He relishes the opportunity to carry the load. However, after back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Finals, the next step is leading Minnesota to a place the franchise has never been before — the NBA Finals. 

His play in the playoffs suggests he can get the job done — Edwards' numbers have increased from his career regular season mark of 24.6 to 26.9 in points and a shooting clip from 45.3% to 46.8%. The only problem is his team is not as deep as in the past, making Minnesota an underdog in their first-round series with Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. 

Kevin Durant

A two-time champion and Finals MVP about to take part in his first postseason with the Houston Rockets, a cloud of doubt based on his lack of postseason success since leaving the Golden State Warriors will always loom over Kevin Durant until he changes that narrative.  

Few ever doubt Durant's ability — he holds a career playoff scoring average of 29.3, which is among the best in league history, but he has only won one playoff series since departing the Warriors following the 2019 NBA Finals. And coincidentally, the Warriors, who won a championship two seasons prior to his arrival, captured another title without him in 2022. 

While it takes a full team to win a championship, these star players must show up in the big moments.